Meeting Virginia’s legal requirements and actually being financially protected are two different things. The coverage minimums set by state law define the floor, not the ceiling. Carrying only what the law requires can leave meaningful gaps, both in what a policy pays if a driver causes a crash and in what may be available if someone else does.
What Are Virginia’s Auto Insurance Requirements?
Virginia law currently requires drivers to carry minimum liability limits of 50/100/25. In practice, that breaks down as follows:
● $50,000 for bodily injury or death to one person
● $100,000 total for bodily injury or death to multiple people in one accident
● $25,000 for property damage
These are split limits, meaning each figure functions as a separate cap. A policy will pay no more than $50,000 to any one injured person, even if that person’s actual losses are far higher. The $100,000 per-accident ceiling then limits what all injured parties can collectively recover.
Why Virginia’s Minimum Coverage May Not Be Enough
Virginia’s minimum insurance requirements may be enough for a minor crash, but they can fall short quickly when someone suffers a serious injury. Take, for example, a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a TBI requiring hospitalization results in more than $51,000 in medical expenses on average, and that doesn’t even begin to account for the broader impact of the injury, such as lost work or the need for future care.
If the damages from a crash exceed the at-fault driver’s liability limits, that driver may be personally responsible for the amount insurance does not cover. For an injured person, the same problem can arise when the at-fault driver carries only the minimum coverage, leaving significant medical bills, lost income, and other losses uncompensated.
That is why the legal minimum should be viewed as a starting point, not necessarily the amount of coverage a driver actually needs.
What Coverage Should Coastal Virginia Drivers Carry?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to auto insurance, but several types of coverage deserve consideration:
● Liability coverage: Limits of 100/300/100 can be a practical starting point, providing $100,000 for one injured person, $300,000 for everyone injured in one crash, and $100,000 for property damage. Drivers with substantial assets may need more.
● Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: UM/UIM coverage helps protect an insured person when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough coverage. Higher limits can provide important protection after a serious crash.
● MedPay coverage: This optional coverage can help pay medical expenses for the policyholder and passengers regardless of fault, including ambulance bills, deductibles, copays, and other treatment costs.
● Collision coverage: This optional coverage pays to repair or replace a vehicle after a crash and may be especially important when replacing the vehicle out of pocket would create a financial burden.
● Comprehensive coverage: This optional coverage applies to certain non-collision losses, including theft, vandalism, flooding, storm damage, and falling objects.
Liability and UM/UIM limits generally deserve close attention because serious injuries can create losses that exceed minimum limits quickly. MedPay, collision, and comprehensive coverage can then be evaluated based on factors such as health insurance, vehicle value, assets, and the ability to absorb unexpected costs.
Drivers should consider asking their agent to walk them through their liability, UM/UIM, MedPay, collision, and comprehensive limits. Understanding coverage now is far easier than sorting through the gaps after a crash.
Huffman & Huffman, a Local Injury Firm
When someone is injured in a car accident in Hampton Roads, understanding which insurance policies apply and how much coverage is available can quickly become complicated. A car accident attorney can help identify potential sources of compensation and deal with the insurance companies involved.
Huffman & Huffman Brothers-in-Law has served injured people and families throughout Hampton Roads since 1973. In 2026, the firm was voted the #1 Personal Injury Law Firm in Hampton Roads in Coastal Virginia Magazine’s Best Of Readers’ Choice Awards for the third year in a row, reflecting its commitment to helping clients pursue fair compensation after a devastating accident.
For those injured in a crash, Huffman & Huffman offers free consultations to review what happened and explain the available options.
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